...And the conversation somehow drifted to 'Al Tishali Oti'. Declared one blogger, "If I was the sabra, I wouldn't post so cryptically'. "If I was the sabra", said another, "I wouldn't use so many Hebrew & Yiddish words." Another blogger chimed in, "If I owned 'Al Tishali Oti', I would be more consistent with colors n content." "I wouldn't be sarcastic to commenters", muttered another, darkly. One blogger added not. "I have nothing to say, for 'To know the sabra is to be the sabra'."

Friday, May 27, 2016

Bose headphones and Alaska and loud music in my ears,
Stuffed Koby and a wooden desk and movies of good tears.
Words to write up any day, moment or mind-shift,
Smiles, jokes and inner rock for every mood to lift.

I'm blessed in my hunger, on my blankets and my all.
And I've just been reminded every leap comes from a fall.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

If it was golus, we'd argue over time zone truths, secretly at best, openly and ferociously at worst.
But it won't be golus, so we'll all happily, peacefully and gracefully agree without anyone feeling rejected or compromised.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

My sneakers and my laptop. My room. My desk. My window to the street. My job. My students. My coworkers and my free use of the copy machine. My free use of car, wifi, washing machine and dryer (all big sizes). Nice weather to hang up clothes outside. Free pool nearby. My boxing gym so close and cozy. Souvenirs from a million places. Having been in the coolest places. Backpacking trips, with and without friends. 3 day camel trip in the Rajasthan desert of India. Dressing up like locals in Marrakesh, Morocco. Villages and like-villages and freezing mountaintops in Azerbaijan. Full day ice climbing in Matanuska Glacier in Alaska. Amtrak train across the USA. My ability to write. My smile. My glasses. My hair. My friends and my cousins. My fingers and my toes. My seforim. My chavrusas. Having lived all over the world. Eretz Yisroel. Eretz Yisroel. Eretz Yisroel. Having a Rebbe. Having the Lubavitcher Rebbe as my Rebbe. Having a dollar from the Rebbe. Getting guidance from the Rebbe. Blessed and cherished and loved by Hashem.

What is a sabra?
A sabra is a form of cactus, Opuntia ficus-indica, that grows extensively in Israel.
The fruit of the sabra has a thick peel with a sharp spine and is covered in prickly thorns. Once the rough and deterring exterior is peeled away, however, you will reach the contrasting sweet pulp.
Authentic Israelis are often referred to as "sabras" because they tend to be outwardly tough and coarse, but once you get to know them they really are a soft, sweet and sensitive people.